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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rock — music
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — a trace

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com